DHL has suspended some U.S. shipments due to tariff regulations. Here’s how it’ll affect your packages

Since President Trump announced a sweeping slate of tariffs earlier this month, a highly uncertain market has led to supply-chain disruptions for everything from iPhones to electric bikes and Volvo cars. Now, the tariffs are coming for something else: your packages. The German-based shipping company DHL announced yesterday that it plans to suspend shipments of any packages over $800 to customers in the United States, starting today. According to a press release from the company, the move comes as a result of “recent U.S Customs regulatory updates,” which have caused DHL to face “multi-day transit delays to the U.S from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding USD 800.” The customs updates in question were instated on April 9 by the Trump administration to enforce its strict new tariffs. The updates require a more time-consuming formal customs process for any package entering the U.S. that’s valued at $800 or more—a major change from the previous restrictions, which only required formal entry processing for packages over $2,500. “This change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” DHL said in the release. What does this mean for US customers? For American DHL customers, the company’s update means that it won’t be possible to receive any package through DHL valued at more than $800. However, the company noted that business-to-business deliveries valued over $800 will not be affected by the new procedure. DHL also clarified that this measure is temporary, and that it will “share updates as the situation evolves.” DHL’s new restrictions come just days after Hong Kong’s postal service announced that it would cease handling any package shipments to the U.S., citing the Trump administration’s “abusive” new tariffs and regulations. These new shipping limitations could be a harbinger of what’s to come. As international shipping becomes more complicated and importers are faced with rising fees, many experts agree that shipping costs for consumers are likely to spike—or, in the case of DHL’s new regulations, some options may disappear altogether.

Apr 21, 2025 - 19:47

DHL has suspended some U.S. shipments due to tariff regulations. Here’s how it’ll affect your packages

Since President Trump announced a sweeping slate of tariffs earlier this month, a highly uncertain market has led to supply-chain disruptions for everything from iPhones to electric bikes and Volvo cars. Now, the tariffs are coming for something else: your packages.

The German-based shipping company DHL announced yesterday that it plans to suspend shipments of any packages over $800 to customers in the United States, starting today.

According to a press release from the company, the move comes as a result of “recent U.S Customs regulatory updates,” which have caused DHL to face “multi-day transit delays to the U.S from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding USD 800.”

The customs updates in question were instated on April 9 by the Trump administration to enforce its strict new tariffs. The updates require a more time-consuming formal customs process for any package entering the U.S. that’s valued at $800 or more—a major change from the previous restrictions, which only required formal entry processing for packages over $2,500.

“This change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” DHL said in the release.

What does this mean for US customers?

For American DHL customers, the company’s update means that it won’t be possible to receive any package through DHL valued at more than $800. However, the company noted that business-to-business deliveries valued over $800 will not be affected by the new procedure.

DHL also clarified that this measure is temporary, and that it will “share updates as the situation evolves.”

DHL’s new restrictions come just days after Hong Kong’s postal service announced that it would cease handling any package shipments to the U.S., citing the Trump administration’s “abusive” new tariffs and regulations.

These new shipping limitations could be a harbinger of what’s to come. As international shipping becomes more complicated and importers are faced with rising fees, many experts agree that shipping costs for consumers are likely to spike—or, in the case of DHL’s new regulations, some options may disappear altogether.